Wednesday, April 3, 2024
OMINOUS
Last night’s western Shelby County sky looks as if another visit of rain and wind is gathering overhead. | photo by JACK BOYCE
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Board of Public Works and Safety yesterday approved Danny Marcum’s upcoming retirement. Marcum, who worked over 23 years on the department, will begin his final shift April 16. The board approved hiring Triton Central High School graduate JP Trimble, who can begin after he turns 20 years old near the end of May. The board also approved hiring Shelbyville High School graduate Roman Scott, who will replace the recently retired Bill Kirschbaum. Cade Oliver, from Trafalgar, has been hired to replace Greg Beagle, who is leaving the department to work in his hometown, Greensburg.
In a Board of Works conversation about city fire department pay, Mayor Scott Furgeson said that advisory firm Baker Tilly will be reviewing pay and benefits of Shelbyville police and fire department members compared to surrounding areas. Furgeson said he expects Shelbyville to “come out looking pretty good.” He added that the fire department’s biggest challenge is running medics at all times. “I’ve been asking (how to solve that) for 20 years, and no one can give me an answer,” he said.
In other action, the board of works approved a $287,277 contract for an inspection in regards to the incoming roundabout to be constructed at Miller Street and McKay Road. City Engineer John Kuntz said the project, which is grant-funded, is slated for 2025, after the school year concludes. Kuntz said inspection contracts are typically around 10 percent of the construction costs.
NATIONAL NEWS: The United States’ domesticated bee colonies have been booming, rising 31 percent since 2007 to 3,800,015 colonies, a million of which have been added in the past five years alone. They’re the fastest-growing “herd” of animals in the U.S., well faster than the next runner-up, ducks, which have hit 4,449,078 flocks and a growth rate of 12 percent since 2007. Lots of that is due to demand for almond pollination, which is responsible for $4 out of every $5 spent on bee pollination in the U.S. and is the main market for beekeepers to service. (Washington Post/Numlock)
The Addison Times publishes essential news and historical content to build our Shelby County community, and is free thanks to the generosity of supporters. Those who donate a minimum of $5 a month (or $60 one-time) receive an exclusive quarterly Addison Times magazine as an appreciation gift.
Want the daily edition read to you? Struggling with your email provider filtering out your local news? The Addison Times Substack app will solve those challenges!
This Day in Shelby County History
2014: A day after FBI agents showed up at Dr. Donald Miller’s Shelby County home to confiscate Native American and other artifacts and relics, government officials revealed little, other than to note they had been working with Dr. Miller for several months on identifying the items. Officials said they had confiscated thousands of items.
2004: Steel beams were set for Major Hospital’s new cancer care center at the Intelliplex.
1994: Shelbyville city officials broke ground on a sanitary sewer project on North Michigan Road, at the intersection of Rampart Street, for a sewer that would extend pipes under I-74. “(The project) will open the north side of the city, it will allow us to extend sewer service to the airport and, if the horse racetrack ever gets built, this will allow us to extend sewers there,” Mayor Bob Williams said. Planning for the project had started in 1989.
1984: “The once-popular claim among city officials that the city has never been forced to borrow money from a bank to meet expenses has been replaced by economic reality,” The Shelbyville News reported. City Council approved borrowing $506,000 to keep the city operating through the end of June. Only a little more than four months into the year, the city discovered that what should have been a balance of operating cash was practically non-existent. Limited taxing power and persistent inflation had slowly eaten away at the city’s ability to pay its bills. In other action, the council passed a resolution honoring the late Cassius Bennett, who had died a month before at the age of 80. Bennett has been a councilman and president of the plan commission.
1974: The IRS announced an auction to be held at W.R. Meloy Inc., a photo mural and photo enlargement business at 715 Fifth St., which had been locked up by the IRS for the company’s non-payment of federal taxes.
1964: Shelbyville received 1.78 inches of rain over eight hours, including sleet and hail. Several trees and power lines were downed.
1954: A newspaper photo showed junior Rec members Nancy Taylor, Phil Brown, Barbara Kent, Paul Means, Bob Staats, Nancy Fowl and Jack Tindall going door-to-door raising funds for the Rec.
John Young, 624 Elm St., vice-president of Monte Glove Co., received an invitation from President Dwight Eisenhower to attend the President’s Conference on Occupational Safety.
Hendricks school won the city sixth grade basketball championship, defeating Addison, 22-20. Team members were Steve Green, Forrest Theobald, Steve Totten, Harold Stewart, Wendell Aldridge, Bruce Blair, Jerry Andrews and Richard Schoelch. Theobald scored the basket breaking the 19-19 tie. Ray Beck was coach, and yell leaders were Nancy Breedlove, Sharon Longstreet, Peggy Landis and Janet Wagner.
1944: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Porter received word that their son, Sgt. Marion “Bud” Porter, was missing in action after a raid over Germany on March 18. Sgt. Porter had been based in England as a gunner on Flying Fortress and had numerous missions to his credit. His brother, Lt. William Porter, was stationed in Connecticut. Sgt. Porter was the seventh Shelby County man added to the missing in action list.
1934: Addison Township officials met at City Hall to discuss a sharp increase in relief requests. The officials said the 500 families seeking relief, up from 200 three months prior, was unwarranted given the recent upturn in industrial employment. The officials decided to more closely investigate each family to determine if some could be dropped from relief rolls.
Nate Kaufman began remodeling his fruit market on South Harrison Street. He was installing a large display window surrounded by 20 large lights and a side entrance on the north.
1924: The community hall in Waldron began allowing roller skating on Friday evenings.
Two Rushville men and a woman were arrested for going door-to-door in Shelbyville selling hosiery and collecting $1 advance payment. “It is the idea of the police department to make solicitors and peddlers from outside the city unwelcome here, and to have the fact made known and circulated among that fraternity,” The Republican said.
Work on a new filling station in the 300 block of South Harrison Street for Standard Oil Co. was progressing. “When completed, this station will be an ornament to the street rather than a detriment,” the paper said. The building was located back from Harrison St. and would have a wide driveway from Hendricks to Polk St.
1914: An Illinois man who jumped from a moving freight train near Prescott was arrested and jailed for taking the unofficial ride. He was slightly injured from the jump.
Lynn West, of Fairland, reported he had noticed a man peeping through his home windows. West chased the man and fired two shots at him, which apparently did not hit their target.
OBITUARIES
Margaret L. (Preston) Alexander, 95, of Fairland, passed away Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in Tempe, Arizona. She was born August 16, 1928, in Williams Bay Wisconsin, the daughter of Elihue and Minnie Myrtle (Surpas) Preston. On November 20, 1945, she married Paul Alexander, and he preceded her in death on September 23, 2010. Margaret is survived by her sons, Geoffrey Lynn Alexander of Fairland, Greggory Alexander and wife, Lora, of Mesa, Arizona, and Christopher Alexander of Tempe; grandchildren, Jason Paul Alexander, John Keith Alexander, Daniel Alexander and Jessi Alexander; great-grandchildren, Reese Alexander and Aiden Alexander; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was also preceded in death by her parents; son, Michael Edward Alexander; brothers, James Preston, Charles Preston and Harry Preston; and sisters, Cathryne Love and Virginia Medsker.
Margaret was a homemaker and formerly worked at LS Ayres in Indianapolis. She attended New Life United Methodist Church. Margaret enjoyed crocheting, embroidering and reading.
Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at Boggstown Cemetery in Shelby County. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made to Purdue University, School of Veterinarian Medicine, K9 Cancer Research, 625 Harrison St., West Lafayette, IN 47907. Online condolences may be shared with Margaret’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Michael Alan Johnson, 54, of Shelbyville, passed away Monday April 1, 2024 at his residence. He was born September 3, 1969 in Terre Haute, IN. to James Johnson and Cheryl (Means) Johnson.
Michael graduated from North Central High School in 1987. He worked at Ryobi and specialized in maintenance. Michael loved being outdoors. He enjoyed going hunting and being on the water, fishing. He also enjoyed getting out on the golf course. His favorite times were spent with his family, especially his granddaughter, Addy.
Michael is survived by his son, Jordan Johnson (fiancé, Kendra Thixton); his daughter, Riley Johnson; his granddaughter, Adalynn Johnson; his sisters, Katrina Weil, Kari (husband, Rick) Stein; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Burial will be in West Lawn Cemetery. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Michael’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.